The End of The Nightmares
by DaughterOfLupaxmx
Summary: HEY GUYS! This is a quick little story, because I think the men in Gilman's Cot got away too easy! Now its Maerads turn for the hunt! Will they get away, or will she get the revenge she believes she deserves? But what if something else happens... something that will change Hem's world... Drama, action, and stuffed full with the romance everyone has been craving! Please review! :D
1. The Propersition

**Hey guys! This isn't my first fanfic, but I felt that I should write this story, as I think the men in Gilman's Cot got away far too easy! I know this is just a tiny tiny tiny tiny bit of writing, but if I get a few reviews I'll post the other 2 chapters I have stored on a hard-drive! ENJOY! :D **

***Spoilers for The Singing* Also, I do not own any of the character/places named, the amazing Alison Croggon does! **

As Maerad paced the room, she could feel everyone's gaze turn upon her. She heard their heart's beating, pulsing in their chests. She saw their thoughts of her, each one with the same meaning;

_Doesn't she realize that we are in a state of war?_

_ Why should we sit here and let her divide our fates! What right does she have!_

_ Not all of us can be heroes! Not all of us can have the power to demolish the dark! _

As Maerad heard these thoughts, she turned upon the people who think them. Fixing her eyes on them with a stony glare.

"I can hear your thoughts, you know. And no, not all can have my power, not all can do what I do, but that is a prize in itself!" She snapped, not even thinking about who she was talking to. Everyone looked at her with wide eyes, all except Cadvan. He just looked down, pinching the bridge of his nose, and trying not to laugh. Maerad looked at her feet and smirked.

"Terribly sorry for the outburst… I don't know what came over me." She winked slyly at Cadvan, and he chuckled softly, making everyone look at him.

"I'm sorry, does this affair seem like a joke to you two? Innail could be in danger, and you just sit there flirting!" Silvia could really scare the socks off you sometimes! "Now Maerad, dear. Lets get back onto the topic. What is it about Gilman's Cot that you needed help with?" At the mention on that place, Maerads eyes glazed over with fear. But she pushed it into the back of her mind, and stared straight at Silvia, determination blazing in her eyes, and a devilish smile growing on her lips.

"I need to destroy it."

**Please R&R people! It helps, I don't even mind if its not good reviews, constructive reviews are sometimes better! I promise I won't get angry... or shoot you with white fire... or turn you into a hull-bunny... ok, I'll stop now :) Remember, the more the reviews, the more chapters you get! :D**


	2. 60 Second Life Story

**Hey. I'd just like to say, if your reading this, I have a book (not a fanfic, a book) to recommend to you! Its called Wolf Brother, and its marked on this website as 'Chronicles of Ancient Darkness' :) go check it out, im gonna be posting some fanfic about the 5 books soon! :D Enjoy the next chapter!**

Everyone began to whisper, chattering amongst themselves about what I had so… _delicately… _said. Even Hem! Cadvan came up behind me, his face flushed.

"Maerad! I never thought you were capable of such dark thoughts! I understand what they did to you was bad¬"

"NO! YOU WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND!" I couldn't hold it in any longer, so it was a good thing we were outside. I could feel the magic in me wanting to let itself free, show everyone what they had done, what I had been through. I couldn't hold it in any longer, it had to be free. Everyone stared at me with a mix of awe and shock on their face, and they slowly stood up and took a few steps back. I saw Cadvans face out of the corner of my eyes, and him rushing over beside Silvia. No one had ever seen me burst like this. I could feel my body loosening its hold on the magic inside me.

I let it go altogether, and my body burst into flame, and I floated skywards. In the flames that surrounded me, my life story began to pour out, like sand in a sieve.

Starting right from the beginning, with me as a small child, staring up at my mother – Milana – with a huge smile on my face. It showed pictures of me playing in Pellinor, and then, after a few seconds, me, as a young girl, standing beside a small, dark-haired boy. Hem. (Or Cai, as he was back in those days).

We played in the gorgeous gardens that filled Pellinor, the vision showed me growing into a bard, learning the Three Arts, being told I was talented by many, many people.

Then, what happened when it was sacked. Many of them tried to look away, but I forced them to look, look at the burning of my home, the murder of all my people. Now it was of them watching it through my eyes.

Enkir coming to our door, knocking it down with all his might, and me and my mother hiding in the darkest corner behind some boxes. My father didn't get down quick enough, but he had managed to hide Hem.

Then – the worst part of all – Enkir slashing up my father, stabbing him countless times before slicing off his head. I gasped, the one motion with gave me and my mother away. Enkir leans over the boxes, and smiles wickedly at us, before ordering his men to fix up a cart, and grabbing my mother by her hair, and dragging us behind him.

The memories fade here, only coming up once or twice of me and my mother ties up, being auctioned off for any mans' purpose. Gilman offered many gold for us, and brought us back to the Cot.

There, we were trained as slaves, and nothing much happened. Until my mother grew ill, and could no longer support me. Gilman didn't care, he just told her to stay inside and die. Soon, she did. Her grief for my father was too much. Then Gilman would beat me for grieving over her death – they began to look away, shielding their eyes from the burning images. I couldn't let them. They had to see what I'd gone through. I forced them to watch, again using my magic.

Then I met Mirlad, who taught me to play my lyre. The vision was for only the second time happy. Playing in the hall, missing out on beatings. But soon, I was forced to work again. I was always humming tunes, and that got me into trouble.

The rest of the visions were similar, me playing with Mirlad in the evenings, and getting beaten at midday. The belt to my back, to my neck, to my face. The days went by as quickly as the memories did – in seconds.

By the end, it showed me collapsed after the Singing. That's where I stopped. And a final burst of flame shot out from my body, and scorched the grass.

"You will never truly understand…" I repeated, and fell to the ground.

**There's a backstory for the people (and I know your out there) who haven't read the books but like the fanfic about it :) R&R people! It really helps to motivate me!**


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